Old Wounds
by Mattlincoln524
Summary: Mal comes back to his home planet of Shadow for a job, but an old enemy is waiting for him there.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Firefly, Joss Whedon does. This story is set shortly after the last episode of the series.

Old Wounds

Captain Malcolm Reynolds walked up the small stairway to the bridge. He found Wash there steering the ship with ease. Mal walked over and sat in the second pilot's seat. He saw his home planet of Shadow below him. He had never wanted to return to Shadow, Serenity was his home now. But Mal had a crew to take care of; the job was the only thing that mattered.

"How far are we?" Mal asked his pilot.

"Just about to hit Atmo."

"Good. Land at the outer edge of the forest. Don't want to draw to much attention to ourselves."

"Didn't you use to live here?"

"That was a long time ago."

"You got any family around these parts."

"Just keep your mind on the job, need one to go smooth." Mal said as he headed down towards the engine room.

The Captain came upon a dirty yet cheerful girl tinkering with a few wires underneath the spinning engine.

"Kaylee, how's she holding?"

"She's ok for now Captain but if we don't get a new stabilizer soon the turbines are gonna fall apart and there ain't no telling how long till the entry couplings give way. I guess a week at most."

"How long has it been since we've had work?"

"A little under a month."

"Do you think we have the money to buy a new stabilizer? You're a member of this crew for one reason only: You keep this boat afloat and that's by any means necessary. You don't have a new part you make it yourself. I don't care if it's made out of gorram clay, as long as it works. Dong-ma?"

Kaylee looked hurt as she slowly nodded and got back to work.

"Now that I've gotten that out of the way, here's the money for the new stabilizer. Get one that will last."

"You're a good Captain."

"There's a shop in town, tell the owner I sent you." Mal said as he walked towards Inara's shuttle.

He walked into the shuttle as Inara was brushing her hair.

"Ambassador." Mal said as a greeting.

"Mal." Inara said with a small amount of anger in her voice.

"I assume you'll be leaving us after this job."

"That's correct."

"Good, One less person to keep an eye on."

"Why Mal I didn't know I needed to be watched." Inara tried her last attempt at flirting.

"I…..I mean as in a captain sense. Number of crew I got, hard to keep up with."

"Well you won't have to worry about me much longer."

"Anyplace particular you going to?"

"I may visit my family before I go back to work. Do you plan on visiting yours while we're here?" Inara asked making the topic once again about Mal.

Mal paused for a minute and slowly began to answer.

"Dad died two years back. My mom the next."

"I'm sorry Mal."

"Don't be." The captain got to his feet and began walking to the door. He then slowly turned to face her.

"Inara I…."

"Yes?" Inara asked hoping he would ask her to stay.

"I…..I'd start packing up soon, there's a trunk of yours in the hold. Seems like a quick job so we'll soon be getting you on your way."

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Simon walked into River's quarters to find her clawing at her own wrists. The blood was all over her hands dripping down onto the floor.

"River, What did you do?" Simon said racing to her side.

He opened his medical bag and began treating her. He wiped away the blood and began to put ointment on her wounds.

"You have to be more careful you could have bled to death!" Simon shouted in a tone which he rarely used.

"We're going home. Don't go back, Simon, don't go." River muttered trying to get to her feet.

"River calm down, we can't ever go back. I won't let that happen. There how does that feel?" Simon asked as he finished wrapping her wrists in bandages.

"The pain will hit you in the gut. I'm lost in the woods. I'm always lost."

"Hey you'll never be lost because I'm never going to leave you." Simon held her hand tightly and smiled.

River returned the smile as if mimicking her older brother. Simon laid out a syringe and a bottle of medicine on a table across the room.

River opened her eyes wide as if waking from a nightmare and whispered: "He's coming."


	2. Chapter 2

Jayne, Mal, and Zoe were standing around the dining table prepping for their new caper. Zoe and Jayne still had no idea what job they were about to pull off. Mal had been unusually quiet about this one. The Captain laid out a map of a small town in front of them. He pointed right in the middle of the map, right on the Post Office.

"We're robbing a Post Office?" Jayne yelled in shock.

"Badger's got a buyer, we just need the package." Mal said trying to reassure his crew.

"Sir how come you didn't tell us about this before?" His second in command, Zoe, asked.

"He didn't say what the cargo was only that it was sensitive property. I figured best be cautious."

"Well the only thing I'm sensing is what a horse piss of a job this is." Jayne said in protest.

"He gave me his word the profit would be plentiful."

"Did he forget the part about us robbing a gorram post office?" Jayne once again protested.

"Can you really trust his word sir?" Zoe asked.

"No but right now it's the only thing we've got." Mal said as the ship shook around him.

"We've landed Mal." Wash said over the intercom.

"Good, lock us down and have Kaylee begin prepping the mule."

Mal was followed by most of crew down to the cargo hold. Kaylee was already there fiddling underneath the mule.

"Kaylee she ready to go?"

"Now I know money's tight Captain but this mule ain't gonna last much longer. I did manage to temporarily the axles and wheels on her though. Remember they ain't permanent so don't push her or she let go of them just like that." Kaylee said as she snapped her fingers.

Malcolm nodded as he pushed the button to open the door to the outside world. Kaylee was surprised by what she saw. Instead of a world blanketed with sand and rocks she saw a fertile land with a dense forest in front of her.

"Kaylee?"

"Oh sorry Captain I wasn't expecting it to be so pretty. No offense."

"Don't worry we've got our deserts too. Terraforming went well here, it's not like other planets we've been to."

"That's why they call it Shadow, it's a shadow of earth that was." Shepard Book said coming down the stairs.

"Now no one can know that for sure Shepard." Mal said.

"I have faith in that idea." Book said.

"You have faith in a lot of things." Mal said as he jumped in the Mule and started the engine.

"May God be with you, Captain." Shepard book said stepping in front of the mule

"My gun will be with me, Shepard."

"I can think of a far more effective weapon."

"It's all I need. Now if you don't mind." Mal said as Book got out of the Captain's way. The mule shot forward and out of the ship. Mal struggle with the steering wheel as the terrain in front of them was rough. The forest had few paths in it so they had to move through what was the thick of it. They stopped out in front of the post office as Mal turned off the engine. He checked his gun and made sure he had extra bullets. Zoe, Mal and Jayne got out and headed into the office. A lone clerk sat at the desk, Mal noticed how nervous the man looked.

"I'm here to pick up a package for Vera?"

"I'm sorry but a package can only be picked up by the person it's addressed too." The clerk stated.

"Well looks like I've got some introducing to do." Jayne pumped his gun, ready to fire.

"You got a package from Ariel a few days ago that's the one I'm looking for." Mal said leaning towards the man behind the desk.

"I can't get it for you."

"Maybe I can convince you?" Jayne said as he moved closer to the desk.

"No I mean it's not here. I was just robbed moments before you arrived, they stole that package."

Mal thought about this for a moment until he heard the familiar sound of the Mule's engine turning on.

"Zoe the mule!" Mal yelled as all three of them ran outside to see three people driving away in their mule.

Mal and Zoe spotted two horses tied to a post across the street. They ran to them and jumped on as fast as they could. Soon they had set off in the direction of the mule.

"Hey what about me?" Jayne yelled as Mal and Zoe faded into the forest.

They had just about caught up to the mule when they were fired upon. Mal got out his pistol and tried to aim for the tires.

"Zoe! Give me cover!" He yelled as he lowered his heard nearly dodging a bullet.

Zoe fired a round at the two shooters and wounded one in the shoulder. To dodge yet another shot Mal had to maneuver his horse off the path and into then dense forest. He was battered and bruised by the branches on the trees. They were all around him so there was no way to avoid them. He found an open spot in the tress where he could get back on the path. He took it to find himself closer to the mule. Zoe's horse was suddenly shot in the leg which threw both to the ground. Mal aimed once again for the tires hoping to shoot one out. On his third shot he did it. The back right tire blew, this cause the whole back axle to fall off. The mule then turned sharply running into a log. Mal brought his horse to a stop and looked back into the distance. He saw Zoe getting to her feet. He then turned his attention on the crashed mule. He walked up to a man pinned under the mule. Mal pointed his gun at the man's head.

"Who do you work for?" Mal asked.

"He works for me." Said a voice from behind him.

He heard the cocking of a gun which in turn caused him to turn sharply and cock his. They both stood there with their guns pointed at each other. The person across from Mal pulled down a bandanna that block her face. The woman had a somewhat shocked expression.

"Mom?" Mal said as he lowered his gun.

His mother approached him but instead of hugging him she hit him over the head with the butt of her gun. Mal fell to the ground; all he could see now was black.


	3. Chapter 3

Malcolm Reynolds awoke to a familiar sight: It was his old room at his mother's ranch. A number of people surrounded his bed. Zoe and Wash stood by the side of the bed while Jayne kept his distance.

"The package?" He managed to mutter.

"It's safe sir." Zoe reassured him.

"How long I been out."

"A few hours. Your mother was kind enough to take us in for the night need it be." Wash said with a smile on his face.

Mal's mother walked forward, until now she had been out of his view.

"Malcolm."

"You hit me!" Mal yelled as he touched the wound on the back of his head.

"How else was I supposed to get you home? Been years since I've gotten a wave from you." Mal's mother shouted.

"Been busy. Working, almost dying and such. I assume you know how that is."

"Not much else to know nowadays."

"What's happened to the ranch?" Mal asked concerned.

"Ever since your old man died money's been tight. I had to sell all the livestock and do what I could to survive."

Inara rushed in through the front door and quickly stood at Mal's bed side.

"Mal I came as soon as I heard are you ok?" Inara asked.

"Been better, got a might of a headache. Should be fine though."

"Who's the whore?" Mal's mother asked.

"She's not a whore!" Mal suddenly found himself yelling.

"Well she is…….at times." Mal said.

"I'm Inara." Inara said sighing.

"My mother Lourinda Reynolds."

"Your mother? Mal you told me she was dead!" Inara whispered.

"Now's not the time. You don't wanna go down this road now."

"Just called me Lo."

Inara nodded and went to sit down.

Mal sat up on the bed putting his shirt back on. He lifted his suspenders up over his shoulders and stood up.

"Now there's the little matter of getting what we came for." Mal turned to his mother.

"You mean this?" Lo said as she lifted a tall ceramic cat out from behind the counter.

What caught Mal's attention were the two red jewels the cat had for eyes.

"So give us the cat and we'll be on our way."

"No!"

"I wasn't asking. You hand it over now or I get out my gun. You may be my mother but I ain't past shooting you."

"Listen kid I have to make a living out here too. Mr. Niska ain't gonna be happy unless I do what he paid me to do." Everyone in the room gasped at the name while Mal's eyes hardened.

"You picked the wrong man to do business with."

"I know of his reputation but its just one job."

"It will just be one job but then he'll turn to you time and time again. Sooner rather then later you'll do something he ain't gonna like. When that time comes I'm not going to protect you. Now if you want I can get you off this planet." Mal said.

"I need the money Mal."

"We all do, let's go." He said as he walked closer to her.

"I ain't leaving."

"Ahh, Hell Mal just take it from her. Jayne said as he grabbed for the statue in Lo's hands. The two struggled a bit until the statue fell out of both their hands and to the floor. It shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Opps." Jayne said looking at the anger in his captain's eyes.

Lo backhanded Jayne in the face causing him to fall to the floor.

"Now it doesn't matter lets go." Mal said as he forcibly pulled his mother towards the door.

Mal walked outside to come face to face with a gun.

"Captain Reynolds how good to see you again." Niska said as his men surrounded the building.


	4. Chapter 4

Wash and Zoe were lying down on a cot. Zoe was on top of her husband staring into his eyes but Wash's thoughts were elsewhere.

"So that was Mal's Mom?"

"She gave birth to him if that's what you mean. Been by Captain's side for years now not once did he mention his family. They do seem alike though."

"I just can't picture him coming out of the womb so much as shooting his way out."

"Way I see it is we all start out the same, living changes us."

"You mean the war changed him."

"A lot of things changed after that."

"Where do you think he is?"

"Dead or being tortured. Probably the same thing that will happen to us."

"Before that happens may I kiss upon my autumn flower?" Wash said as Zoe came down for a few kisses.

Wash then pushed her away and looked across the room. He motioned with his eyes and Zoe turned to see Jayne staring at them. They had forgotten in the midst of their conversation how small their prison cell was.

"Jayne do you mind?" Zoe asked.

"Just act like I ain't here." Jayne said with hopeful enthusiasm.

"Well that severely killed my mood." Wash said looking at his wife.

"Guys Please! Niska has Mal; don't you think we should be coming up with an escape plan?" Inara asked pacing across the room.

"They took our guns what do you want us to do?" Jayne yelled.

"And no Jayne nobody is going to get naked!" Wash said crushing Jayne's hopes.

Two guards came down the hall and stopped at the cell doors. One of the guards was carrying Jayne's Gun, Vera. He pointed his newly acquired gun at the prisoners.

"Niska wants to see the companion." One of them said.

The guards escorted Inara out with a great deal of force, locked the cell back up and began walking away.

"If you hurt her I'll kill you!" Jayne yelled to the guards.

"That was rather pleasant of you." Wash was surprised.

"I was talking about my gun." Jayne said with a tear forming in his eye.

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Inara was taken to a small room with a table and two chairs facing each other. Niska sat in one the other was for her. As Inara set down Niska stood and bowed in respect.

"I wouldn't take you for having manners, Mr. Niska." She said trying not to show any fear.

"You know me by reputation alone not fact. I have many layers, Ms.?"

"Just Inara. I can think of another way to describe you."

"Not good words you have, I think."

Inara rubbed her arm where a guard had grabbed her.

"Are you hurt?"

"Your guards were anything but gentle."

"I fix that. Toth can you come in here for a moment." Niska talked into an intercom.

One of his guards came into the room; Niska pulled out a gun and shot the man in the gut. He fell to the ground and backed his way to the wall. Niska stood and walked over to his guard. He shot him in the head.

"As you can see I tolerate very little from my guards."

"I assume you know the punishment for killing or abusing a registered companion."

"I do. There are other forms of torture, you know this yes? I could make you my personal companion."

"Where's Mal?"

"Ohhh I sense something in your voice. Could it be love? Don't worry they are being transported to my ship as we speak."

"What do you want from me?"

"I'm looking for something, maybe you have seen them? A pair of red jewels, the eyes of a cat."

"I don't have a clue of what you are talking about."

"Your friends will tell me soon enough."

Inara prayed that Mal was faring better than her.

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Malcolm Reynolds and his mother were being flown to Niska's spaceship. The guards had handcuffed them together and were guarding them rather closely.

"Is this really necessary?"

"We have to make sure you two won't escape."

"We're thousands of feet in the air." Mal said with no response from his captor.

"I can't believe you got us into this!" Lo said with anger.

"Me? You're the one that took a job from Niska full well knowing the kinda man he is." Mal yelled.

"Do you have a plan to get us out of this mess?" Lo wondered.

"Don't need one." Mal said as he waited for the guard to turn his back.

Right then Mal swung his handcuffed wrist, pulling his mother's wrist also, around the man's neck. As they strangled him to death their victim fired off numerous shots killing the pilot and wounding the other guard. The ship suddenly went in to a dive knocking Malcolm and his mother off their feet. They both muttered a few swear words in Chinese as they looked out the front window. The ground was coming up fast and they had no time to find parachutes. Mal turned to lead his mother back to the middle of the plane when the wounded guard pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the gut. Mal pulled the knife from his body and punched out the guard. He looked down at his hand, it was covered in blood. The ship then crashed to the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

Kaylee couldn't believe how much she had paid for a used stabilizer. As soon as she made reference to the captain, the man Mal believed would give her a good deal raised the price by twenty-five percent. The seller who was named Babcock launched into a barrage of Chinese obscenities. Kaylee could only translate a few of the words but she could still tell he did not like Mal or his mother. Kaylee did not have a chance to meet her, though she figured she was a lot like the captain. It was about a half an hour walk back to the ship but Kaylee didn't mind at all. It had been so long since she had seen actual trees. She had also forgotten how good flowers smelled. She took all these things for granted when she was back home. As much as she loves Serenity it was getting to be more cramped then she would like. In the engine room there was heat and always something to fix. Out here there was open air and an endless sky above her. With her anger now washed away she made it back to Serenity. She thought the whole crew would be back from the job ready to go; instead the cargo bay was empty. Simon was who she was hoping to see. The two of them had been a battle right from the start. She had done everything she could think of so much as throw herself at him to get his attention. She didn't blame him though he had to look after River. She was getting worse and Kaylee knew it. After what had happened on Niska's space station Kaylee couldn't look at the girl the same way again. On the outside River looked sweet and innocent but on the inside there was something playing all the time in her head. Kaylee always saw it in her eyes: like she could be with you but at the same time be someplace else entirely. The young mechanic walked through the cargo bay first spotting the Mule. She knelt down beside it surveying the damage but it was to far gone. The back axle was twisted beyond repair. She touched the machine softly as if saying she was sorry. A noise suddenly startled her; it was coming from the kitchen. She stood and walked towards the sound. Before she could make it even halfway someone grabbed her from behind covering her mouth.

"Kaylee, it's Simon. Don't say anything there are intruders onboard." Simon whispered.

"Who are they?"

"I don't know they arrived just before you did."

"Where's the Shepard?" Kaylee asked.

"Hiding I think."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!" River whispered with her index finger in front of her mouth.

Simon pulled Kaylee and his sister behind a few boxes as two men entered. Kaylee was frozen in fear all she could do was listen to the conversation they were having.

"So what if I told Mr. Niska I don't want to work for him anymore, what then?" One of the men asked.

"He kill you." Nosk said.

"Well what if I just leave without telling him?"

"He find you then kill you."

"What if….."

"If you don't be quiet then I kill you!" Nosk said.

"Right. So who are we looking for again?"

"According to the Crew Manifest, a Shepard and the mechanic." Nosk said.

"Might as well fire'em ain't nothing gonna save this gorram piece of garbage."

"Why that little…" Kaylee shut her mouth almost immediately.

"Did you hear something?" Nosk asked.

"It's probably just the ship settling."

"Yes probably, let's continue checking the ship."

They listened to footsteps walking away and sprang to their feet. Suddenly River began screaming loudly.

"They fell from the sky, lost in the foliage."

"River, No." Simon said as he covered her mouth.

"We have to get out of here." Kaylee advised.

"Nobody is going anywhere." Nosk said as he pointed a gun at their backs.

"Menske, I have them." Nosk said into his walkie talkie.

"Menske?" There was no response.

"Where is the Shepard?" Nosk asked as he pointed his gun to River's head.

"We don't know where he is!"

"You lie." Niska's henchmen said as cocked his gun, ready to fire.

"Their watching, waiting. They'll come at you from the side."

Suddenly Shepard Book grabbed the man from behind knocking the gun out of his hand. Book squeezed the man's neck as tight as he could until Nosk fell unconscious.

"He came from behind." River said staring at the fallen man.

"We should be going." Book said walking towards outside.

"They were Niska's men." Simon stated.

"How'd they find us here?"

"Doesn't matter. He already has Mal and the others. A man like him moves quickly."

"They fell from the sky. Their not alone!"

"Neither are we." Book said as a dozen of Niska's guards surrounded them.


	6. Chapter 6

The shuttle had crashed in a huge dense forest on Shadow. The two guards and the pilot were dead. Mal and his mother were the only survivors. All Mal could see was a shower of sparks above him. The cover of an electronic panel had broken off cutting the wires beneath. Mal could smell fuel, as he saw a puddle in front of him. The fuel line had been damaged causing the liquid to spill out. The puddle was growing bigger and closer to the sparks. Mal grabbed his Mother and ran out of the ship as it exploded.

"Ma? You ok?" Mal asked as his Mother opened her eyes.

"I'd be better if I wasn't handcuffed to your gorram ass."

"Well believe me It's not the place I wanna be." Mal said as he began to lead Lo away from the crash site.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from here." Mal said.

"But you don't even know where we are."

"What I do know is Niska's men are going to find us if we stay here."

"I'm sure we can work something out with Niska."

"This ain't like selling cattle. He doesn't compromise." Mal said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Why does he scare you so much? What he do to you anyways?"

"He killed me."

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Nosk and Menske led their three prisoners to their cells. Menske had heard one prisoner call out the name River. That name sounded very familiar to him. Simon, Book, River and Kaylee joined Jayne and Inara in the cell.

"What's going on? Why is Niska here?" Simon asked.

"Looking for what he hired the Captain's mother to find." Inara said.

"Don't suppose one of you has an escape plan? Shepard?" Jayne asked.

"I plan to pray on the matter."

"The good it will do." Jayne muttered.

"Where are the others?" Kaylee asked.

"Mal and his Mom were being taken to Niska's ship. Zoe and Wash are being interrogated now."

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"You fought in the war?" Niska asked Zoe. She did not respond.

"Don't feel like talking well I do most of it for you. A man named Badger hired you to steal a small crate from the Post Office. It contained a cat statue with two red eyes. The house you were in has been searched and destroyed. One of you has the eyes."

"We don't have them?"

"She speaks. Now when you were in the war you saw a lot of you comrades in danger yes? I know how this is. Would you say you would do anything for your crew? How about your husband?" Niska said as Wash was brought into the room and slammed down onto the table.

Nosk took out a knife and held it under Wash's eye.

"Don't let him take my eyes, baby, not my eyes." Wash said as Zoe still did not say anything.

"Perhaps his death will make you smarter, heh?" The guard then pressed the knife against Wash's throat and slowly moved it forward.

"Stop! I told you we don't know anything."

"Unfortunately I believe you."

"Take them back to their cell."

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"You Ok?" Zoe asked her husband after they were led back to the cell.

"You were going to let them take my eyes before killing me?"

"Thought you might not like being dead."

"I'd rather be dead then without my eyes. Life wouldn't be worth living if I couldn't see my autumn flower." Wash said as they both leaned in for a kiss. At the last minute Zoe pulled back.

"What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about the captain."

"And again the mood is dead." Wash said as he threw his arms up in the air.

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Back in the interrogation room Nosk looked confused.

"Sir, why do you believe her?"

"Are you questioning me Nosk?"

"No sir I just don't understand."

"Love is a powerful emotion makes you risk everything, even if that means betraying certain captains. She knows nothing."

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Menske made it look to the other guards that he was repairing a communication terminal. He punched in a number on the keypad and waited a few beats for a response.

"This is the Alliance vessel Lowrunner, how may we be of assistance?" The commanding officer asked.

"I have found two wanted fugitives, Simon and River Tam." Menske said as the officer paused for a moment.

"Are you positive?"

"Yes, this is a security feed from ten minutes ago from an abandoned prison on Shadow. I'm sending it as we speak."

Upon seeing the recorded video the officer had only one response: "We're on our way."


	7. Chapter 7

"Book? Yes, Book! It is you!" Niska said.

"Adelai." Book said as he entered Niska's interrogation room.

"It's been a long time my friend. Who are you trying to fool dressed as a Shepard?"

"I suppose you could say myself. I've changed."

"Sit down. I have to say I'm surprised to see you again. So you say you are a different man then the one I knew."

"Yes and I have prayed dearly for your soul each night." Book said as he stared at Niska.

"Funny I did not ask for it." Niska said with a chuckle.

"God loves all."

"You wear your faith like a mask. It hides the real you underneath. You haven't changed you only think you have." Niska said as he stood and began to walk around the desk in front of him.

"Now what business do you want from me?"

"I have come to bargain for these peoples lives." Shepard said.

"You have nothing of value."

"I will exchange my life for theirs."

"You know there was a time that lives weren't that important to you, remember?"

"I do. That was a time when I thought I knew my place in the world, I was wrong."

"I give you a choice." Niska said handing Book a gun.

"You kill Nosk here, I let your friends go."

Book stared down at the gun in his hands contemplating his decision. He looked in Nosk's eyes and saw the fear in them. He raised the gun, cocked it and aimed for the man's head. He could not kill a man in cold blood though. He lowered the gun feeling like he had failed his friends.

"Perhaps you have changed, my friend."

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Mal and Lo were walking through a dense part of the forest hoping it would guise themselves from Niska's patrols. They both remained silent as they proceeded across the terrain. As the reached what appeared to be the end of the forest Mal stopped.

"Do you smell that?"

"Smells like something burnt."

"The trees were burnt." Mal said pointing up to them.

"We haven't had any forest fires here of late."

"This was no fire, a ship crashed." Mal said as they reached a small opened area where an abandoned ship sat.

Malcolm knew exactly what was in front of him; it was a downed Reaver ship. Around the ship lied numerous corpses. Mal surveyed the scene and pick up a steel bar from the debris. He then continued towards the ship's hatch.

"Reavers." Mal whispered.

"What are you doing we can't go in there?"

"Most of these bodies are in pretty good shape, if there were any survivors they wouldn't be." Mal said journeying into the ship.

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Jayne sat across from Niska trying to stare him down. It wasn't working and Jayne was growing increasingly anxious. He then darted his eyes down to a knife embedded into the table. It reminded him of his own weapon Vera and how much he missed her.

"That's quite a shiny knife you've got there. You know I once skinned a man alive with a knife similar to that one. Took me two hours, luckily he died halfway through." Jayne said trying to intimidate Niska.

"And why did you do this?"

"He called me pretty; I don't like being called pretty."

"Pretty you are not but you are indeed a liar." Niska said laughing.

"Skinning a man takes at least four hours; I killed my father this way. Very sad……I move on. My guess would be you skinned a small animal, such as a dog."

"It was a big dog." Jayne said trying to make up for the lie.

"You think you can intimidate me? You have a reputation as such. If you do not tell me what I want to know I will show you what this knife can do and I assure you I can make it last more than four hours." Niska yelled as Jayne held a hand on his stomach and grimaced in pain.

Niska escorted Jayne back to the cell and again noticed the man holding his stomach and wrenching in pain. Nosk was about to unlock the cell.

"Wait, cut open his stomach, he swallowed them, doesn't matter if he lives." Niska said.

"You swallowed them?" Inara couldn't believe his stupidity.

"Seemed like a good idea at the time." Jayne said as they took him away.

Menske came running up to Niska holding a small device.

"Sir we may have found them. I'm detecting two life signs around what looks like a crashed Reaver ship. Shall I send out our teams?"

"No I will go alone. I want to deal with Captain Reynolds myself."

"Wait sir, I'm detecting a third life sign now. It might be one of ours that survived the crash."

"Yes, Perhaps."

"What should we do with the rest of the prisoners?"

"Kill them they no longer serve any purpose." Niska said as he walked away prepared for his final confrontation with Malcolm Reynolds.

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Mal and his mother were now scavenging the Reaver ship for any weapons. Mal luckily found a small saw which he was able to cut the handcuff chain in two. He and his mother were now separated. Mal walked up to the cockpit and poked two reavers at the wheel with the steel bar he had found. They were both dead.

"We shouldn't be here Mal, it's dangerous with Reavers about." Lo approached and noticed a small red glowing light coming from one console.

"Mal what's that?"

"It's a distress call. More reavers are coming."

"We need to find some weapons if you're not going to help then shutup." Mal yelled.

"Ever since you got here you've been keeping me at a distance. Is this about your father?"

"We are not going to start about him."

"Your father loved you and this family."

"Did he tell you that after the first or hundredth beating?"

"Mal it wasn't like that."

"Don't defend him! Every gorram day he laid his hands on you and you did nothing. Not once did you fight back."

"I was trying to protect you the best way I knew how. I wasn't strong enough then Mal."

"Do you have any idea how it felt watching him beat you every day. You didn't deserve that!" Mal yelled at the top of his lungs.

"I know you may not understand this but every bruise, every wound I got made me stronger."

"Strong enough for him to die of a heart attack?" Mal shot back.

"On the night your father died he beat me so bad and left me bleeding on the floor. Afterwards I grabbed his gun, I was just going to scare him but he came at me. After the first shot everything he had done to me came to the surface. I don't remember how many more times I shot him but I knew that he would never touch me again." Lo said tearing up.

"You killed him." Mal was shocked.

"Mal, I?" Lo tried to say something but tripped over a dead body that she recognized.

"That's Mr. Benke, he's been missing for days!" Lo yelled in horror.

Mal looked down at the corpse, obviously something had been feeding off of him, all of the flesh on his legs at been ripped off.

"He's been rationing the bodies. Run!" Mal said as he exited the ship coming face to face with a Reaver.


	8. Chapter 8

Shepard Book, Simon, River, Kaylee, Wash, Zoe and Inara were all trapped in their cell. Not only were they still prisoners they were about to be dead. Niska's guards had their guns aimed for them. They cocked their weapons ready to fire.

"How's that prayer coming Shepard?" Inara asked.

Before Book could answer the wall behind the guards exploded sending them crashing to the ground.

"Is it hard being a spiritual man?" Wash asked Book.

"Harder than one would think." Book said as a group of armed men ran in through the giant hole in the wall.

"Who are you people?" Simon asked.

"Mercenaries: the finest money can buy. I spared no expense." Badger said as he entered the prison.

"I bet." Simon said.

"Well you seem to be in a bit of a situation." Badger said.

"They locked us up, threw away the key." River mumbled.

"Hey darling you should really quit hanging round these folks your accent has faded." Badger said.

"It's nothing we haven't dealt with before." Zoe said getting the attention off of River.

"Yeah, but this spot seems tighter than usual and I see it affecting the job severely."

"Are you checking up on little old us?" Zoe asked sarcastically.

"The way things look its good I showed up when I did and I'd start showing me some respect little girl." Badger was extremely annoyed.

"Hey that "little girl" just happens to be my wife." Wash yelled.

"Sweetie you might want to rephrase that." Zoe corrected him.

"The merchandise?"

"Jayne swallowed it; they took him to the interrogation room to get it out."

"Right, well it seems you have everything under control." Badger said as he began to walk away.

"A pleasure to see the young lady again." Badger stated.

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The Reaver picked Mal up and threw him about twenty feet from the ship. Mal still held the steel bar in his hand and was planning to use it. Before he could the Reaver was already on top of him slashing at him with its claws. Mal hit the reaver on the side with the bar and his enemy jumped to its feet. Mal got up and went in for a series of punches to the reaver's chest. It then did the same to his face. Mal saw an opening and swung his weapon at the monster's head. The Reaver grabbed the steel bar out of Mal's hand and broke it in two over his knee. Mal's opponent then knocked him to the ground. The Reaver took out a small makeshift knife and went in for the kill. A shot rang in Mal's ears and the Reaver fell dead on top of him. He pushed the corpse off of him and looked at his mother still holding the smoking gun.

"Mr. Benke always kept a gun on him for protection. You ok?" Lo said as she reached down to pick her son up off the ground.

"Yeah I'm fine." Mal nodded his head.

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Badger got back to the Interrogation room with his mercenaries. Nosk was about to cut into his stomach when Badger ordered his men to fire. Nosk fell dead to the ground. Jayne got up from the table to look at his rescuers.

"Badger what are you doing here?" Jayne was confused.

"Protecting my investment." Badger said as he stabbed Jayne in the stomach with a knife. The mercenaries moved in closer with their guns aimed at Jayne.

"Take care of him, I want those jewels. You can kill the others; they have probably figured it out by now. You four come with me I'm going to find Niska." Badger said walking out of the room.

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Mal wiped the blood off his face as he walked through the forest. His mother was walking a few feet behind him.

"Mal I'm….." Lo began to apologize.

"I know. You did what you did, no use going on about it now." Mal said looking back at her.

"I just want you to know I love you son." Lo said as Mal stopped dead in his tracks.

He turned to face her and was about to say something back when he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"How touching. Sorry to intrude but I'm afraid I must be killing you now." Niska said.

"Fine go ahead just leaver her out of this." Mal yelled.

Niska cocked his gun and aimed for Malcolm's head. Mal heard the shot but noticed he was still very much alive. He turned to see his mother slumped over dead from a wound to the chest.

"You gorram son of a….. You were going to kill me!" Mal yelled as tears welled up in his eyes.

"I changed my mind." Niska said with a smile.

Mal ran up the hill towards Niska as his enemy ran towards his transportation. Niska's pilot came over to fight, but Mal was determined. He sucker punched the pilot knocking him out cold. He grabbed Niska from behind and forced him to the ground. He took the gun out of his hand and pointed it at Niska's head.

"I ain't gonna kill you, I figure there's been enough death today." Mal said as he walked a few feet away and stopped.

"A man can change his mind though." Mal said as he turned to shoot Niska, emptying the weapon of ammunition.


	9. Chapter 9

The mercenaries approached the cell. Their leader stepped forward and took out his gun; his followers did the same. River got to her feet and moved up to the metal bars of the cell. She stared at the leader as if looking into his very soul.

"You still hear them, the voices: scattered, broken. The blood ran thick through the streets; they begged and cried for mercy. You showed them none."

"Shut up!" The Mercenary leader yelled with his eyes tearing up.

"Neither will he." River said as she closed her eyes tight.

"River, No!" Simon screamed.

He pulled the trigger but heard no response from his gun. His weapon had jammed leaving him defenseless.

The three men beside him suddenly fell to the ground after three loud bangs echoed through the prison. The leader looked up to see Jayne cocking his gun.

"Looks like I got my gun back." Jayne said as he ran up to the last remaining mercenary knocking him into the wall with his gun.

"We gotta get back to the ship and find the captain. I think Badger's working with Niska." Jayne said as he opened up the cell.

A few minutes later they were out of the prison heading into the forest. Simon stopped them all so he could look at Jayne's wound to clean it up as much as he could.

"Without my supplies there is not much I can do for you now. You'll have to wait till we get back to the ship."

"Good we can't stop anyway with Niska and Badger about." Zoe stated.

"Does anybody remember the way back to the ship?" Kaylee asked as her friends turned around to realize they had no idea where they were going.

"She's this way." River said as she started walking further into the jungle.

About an hour later they arrived at the tail end section of Serenity. Zoe punched the button for the cargo door to drop down and open. They all walked in stood still not sure of what to do next. Zoe then took charge of the situation.

"Simon, stitch Jayne up. Wash, prep the ship to launch."

"Honey what about you?" Wash asked.

"I'm going after the captain." Zoe looked at her husband who was staring outside the ship.

Mal was stumbling towards the ship with his dead mother in his arms. He walked up the ramp, into the ship and fell to his knees. Simon ran to Lo's body but the Captain pushed him back.

"She's dead." Mal said in a low voice.

"Captain there's something you should know. Badger was working with Niska but now I think he just wants the jewels for himself." Zoe said as Mal turned his head up to look at her.

"That all?" Mal asked.

"No, he's standing right behind you."

"Well, well, seems you have had quite a bit of fun. Where's Niska?" Badger asked pointing a gun at Mal.

"Dead, like you'll be in a few seconds." Mal said with pain in his eyes.

An alarm sounded around the ship and Wash came over the speaker.

"We've got three reaver ships coming in above us." Wash said with fear in his voice.

"Take us out of here Wash." Zoe said into the intercom.

"Damn." Badger said as he started to run away.

Mal shot him in the leg and began to run towards him but Zoe stopped him.

"Captain we need to get out of here!"

"He's the reason she's dead." Mal screamed.

"He is as good as dead out there with the Reavers coming." Zoe said as the Captain relented and pressed the button to close the hanger door.

Serenity lifted up into the sky and cut through the clouds. Soon they were out in open space. A reaver ship followed them and closed in for an attack.

Wash cursed in Chinese as he saw the ship coming for them.

"Kaylee lets go for a hard burn."

"Right." Kaylee said as she began to fiddle with some wires and knobs on the base of the engine.

Serenity then rocketed deeper into space leaving the Reavers far behind.

"Probably best to lay low for awhile stay out of trouble." Zoe said to the Captain.

Mal didn't say a word but Book did approach them.

"I think I might know a place." Book said.


	10. Chapter 10

"It's called Haven. A peaceful world, with few people on it, it's far enough away from Reavers or Alliance control. We should be safe here." Book said to the Captain, just as the ship was setting down on the planet.

Mal was sitting on a cargo container staring at his mother's corpse. From the expression on his face Book was not sure if the Captain had heard him.

"Good." Mal was barely able to speak.

"I'm prepared to speak for the funeral; her soul needs to be put to rest, son." Shepard Book said as he put his hand on Mal's shoulder.

"No, I'll bury her alone." Mal picked up his mother's body and left the ship, heading out into the desert.

"Captain…" Zoe moved to follow but Book stopped her.

"He needs to forgive her so that he can begin to forgive himself. Give him some time." Book informed.

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"You stubborn old fool you shouldn't have gone through all you did, shouldn't have let him touch you. You thought you were doing the right thing for me, protecting me. Sorry I couldn't return the favor. I'm sorry about a lot of things. Now you're gone, guess you weren't that stubborn after all." Mal said as he plunged a makeshift headstone into the dirt behind where he had buried his mother.

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"River get back here!" Simon yelled chasing his younger sister into the cargo hold.

"I have to greet him, I have words." River replied.

Mal walked back onto the ship coming to stand by the Shepard's side.

"Whatever prayer's you have for my Mother, save them. She's free, not bound by anyone now. I'd like to keep it that way." Mal said as Book reluctantly nodded.

"Mal, I'm sorry." Inara said as she stepped forward staring into his eyes.

"Me too." The Captain replied.

Mal was headed for the stairs when River grabbed his arm pulling him back.

"These Old Wounds led me to you. They crafted me, made me."

"Captain, do you know what she's saying?" Simon asked sounding puzzled.

"I think I do." Mal responded.

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Simon returned to sickbay to see Jayne going through some of his medications.

"Jayne what are you doing here? Did your wound open back up?" Simon asked.

"No it's just that laxative you gave me earlier hasn't done anything yet so I decided to take a few more." Jayne said.

"How many more did you take?"

"Five. Is that bad?"

"Not now, but probably later. Just remember when they out remember to wash them a lot." Simon said feeling uncomfortable.

"Will do, Doc." Jayne said as a look of discomfort came over his face.

"Are you feeling ok?" Simon asked trying not to smile.

"I'll be in my bunk." Jayne said as he ran off.

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Kaylee was trying to salvage their Mule but couldn't. She didn't know if the Captain could handle anymore bad news. She went back to work when she saw that Mal was approaching.

"How's it coming Kaylee?" The Captain said sounding like his old self.

"Not Good. The fuel injector is shot, the rotors ain't working and the internal buffers are completely destroyed. We might as well just buy a new one." Kaylee wished she hadn't said a word.

"We might just have to then. We've got the merchandise just need to find a buyer, maybe Fanty and Mingo." Malcolm said ushering a grin to his mechanic.

The Captain then walked over to the intercom and talked into it.

"Wash, I'd like to get off this rock sometime soon." Mal said waiting for a response, he did not receive one.

"Wash?" He said again.

"Sorry Captain I'm a little busy now." Wash said as he leaned down to kiss his wife.

"Take your time; we'll be flying soon enough." Mal understood what Wash meant.

"Well that certainly killed the mood." Zoe said grinning at her lover.

"Shut up." Wash said as they both went under the covers of their bed.

THE END.


End file.
